Method of producing meat-like protein foods

ABSTRACT

A material consisting mainly of protein and water is supplied into an extruder through a supply port, mixed by screws and extruded from an extrusion port. The extrusion port is provided with a die including a plate having a plurality of holes. A mixture extruded from the extrusion port is provided with a fibrous orientation. The die has a cooling mechanism for cooling the mixture extruded from the extruder. The obtained protein material is heated and compression-molded by a pressing machine, and a protein food having a meat-like texture and mouth feeling is produced. Thus, a high-protein, low-calorie protein food having a meat-like complex texture and mouth feeling can be produced by a simple process.

This application is a Division of application Ser. No. 08/264,154, filedJun. 22, 1994.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a method of producing novelfoods, and more particularly to a method of producing, by usingvegetable protein, meat-like protein foods having textures and mouthfeeling similar to those of meats.

2. Description of the Related Art

There have been various conventional methods of producing meat-likeprotein foods by using vegetable protein, in particular, soybeanprotein, to which extrusion cooking techniques are applied.

For example, methods of producing protein foods, which are characterizedby controlling the ratio of materials to be supplied into an extruder,are disclosed in Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 64-30543("method of producing a textured soybean protein"), Jap. Pat. Appln.KOKAI Publication No. 63-14663("method of producing meat-like fibrousfoods"), and Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKOKU Publication No. 2-26950 ("extrudedprotein product").

A method of producing protein foods, which is characterized by drivingan extruder under specified conditions, is disclosed, for example, inJap. Pat. Appln. KOKOKU Publication No. 3-11749.

A method of producing protein foods, wherein materials are subjected toan extrusion process to have a relatively high water content, isdisclosed, for example, in Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKOKU Publication No.51-12695 ("flavorous meat-like protein") and Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKOKUPublication No. 62-34375 ("method of producing meat-like soft vegetableprotein materials").

The protein foods produced by these methods, however, do not havetextures and tastes of meats. In order to solve this problem, Jap. Pat.Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 4-228037 ("method of producing foodmaterial") discloses a method of producing food materials, whereinorientation of fibers similar to meats is obtained.

According to the method of Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No.4-228037, at first, a material consisting substantially of soybeanprotein and water is supplied into an extruder and subjected to anextrusion process. Water is added to the resultant fiber-texturedsoybean protein with a relatively low water content (hereinafterreferred to as "low water content TSP"), thereby swelling the low watercontent TSP. While the low water content TSP is being swelled, it iswashed several times and loosen. Thus, a fibrous water-containing matteris obtained. The fibrous water-containing matter is pressurized anddehydrated, thereby producing a lump-like fibrous matter with fibrousorientation perpendicular to the direction of applied pressure. Thelump-like fibrous matter is heated while it is pressurized. Thereby, thefibrous matter is solidified and a food material having meat-likefibrous orientation is obtained.

However, the thus produced food material does not have delicate textureand taste similar to meats.

Moreover, in a secondary process, water is added to the low watercontent TSP obtained by the extrusion process, and the low water contentTSP is washed repeatedly and loosen to such a degree that its originalshape is lost. In order to obtain meat-like complex texture orientation,the resultant matter is dehydrated. Then, in order to fix the textureorientation, the resultant matter is heated. Accordingly, themanufacturing process of the food materials is complex andtime-consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of producingmeat-like protein foods, whereby high-protein, low-calorie protein foodshaving complex textures and tastes similar to meats can be produced insimple steps.

In order to achieve this object, there is provided a method of producinga meat-like protein food, comprising the steps of:

mixing water and a material containing at least protein in a mixingcontainer while heating and pressurizing the water and the material,thus obtaining a mixture, the amount of water being controlled such thata water-content in the mixture is set at 30 to 70 parts by weight inrelation to 100 parts by weight of the protein-containing material;

cooling the mixture obtained in the mixing step, providing anorientation to the mixture, and extruding the mixture from the mixturecontainer, thus obtaining a protein material; and

compression-molding the protein material while heating the same.

There is also provided a method of producing a meat-like protein food,comprising the steps of:

mixing water and a material containing at least protein in a mixingcontainer while heating and pressurizing the water and the material,thus obtaining a mixture, the amount of water being controlled such thata water content in the mixture is set at 30 to 70 parts by weight inrelation to 100 parts by weight of the protein-containing material;

cooling the mixture obtained in the mixing step, providing anorientation to the mixture, and extruding the mixture from the mixturecontainer, thus obtaining a protein material;

controlling the water content and shape of the protein material; and

compression-molding the resultant protein material while heating thesame.

An extruder used as the mixing container in the method of the presentinvention has a die at an extrusion port thereof. The die has a coolingmechanism for cooling the die and a plate having a number of holes toobtain an extruded mixture having an orientation.

When a meat-like protein food is produced by using the extruder havingthe above structure, a material consisting substantially of protein andwater is supplied into the extruder. The material and water is heated,pressurized and mixed by the extruder. The mixture is extruded from theextruder through the die. The mixture passing through the die is cooledby the cooling mechanism. When the cooled mixture is passed through theholes in the plate, the mixture is provided with an orientation.Thereby, a protein material having a fibrous orientation is produced.

The protein material extruded from the extruder is supplied to thepressing machine and compressed while being heated. Thereby a meat-likeprotein food having a meat-like texture and mouth feeling is produced.

The amount of water supplied to the extruder is controlled such that thewater content in the protein material extruded from the extruder is 30to 70 parts by weight in relation to 100 parts by weight of the proteinmaterial.

The protein material extruded from the extruder may be heated andcompression-molded after the water content and shape thereof have beencontrolled. In this case, a meat-like protein food having a desiredtexture and mouth feeling can be obtained.

As has been described above, according to the method of producing ameat-like protein food of the present invention, the die having thecooling mechanism and plate with holes is provided at the extrusion portof the extruder. Thus, the high water content TSP taken out of theextruder possesses a meat-like complex fibrous orientation and aproperly controlled water content. Accordingly, only by heating andcompression-molding the high water content TSP and fixing the texture ofthe TSP, a protein food having a meat-like texture and mouth feeling isproduced in simple steps. In addition, a protein food having a morecomplex meat-like texture and mouth feeling can be produced bycontrolling the water content and shape of the high water content TSPextruded from the extruder and then heating and compression-molding theTSP.

Moreover, according to the present invention, since the meat-likeprotein food can be produced from vegetable protein such as soybeanprotein, a high-protein, low-calorie protein food can be produced, ascompared to meats.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments ofthe invention and, together with the general description given above andthe detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an extruder used in a method ofproducing meat-like protein foods according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a die provided on the extruder;

FIG. 3 shows a plate of the die;

FIG. 4 schematically shows an embodiment of a laminated matter in whichdifferent kinds of high water content TSPs produced by the extrudershown in FIG. 1 are laminated;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which a proteinmaterial taken out from the extruder is filled in a mold; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a pressing machine in which themold filled with the protein material, as shown in FIG. 5, is provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A method of producing meat-like protein foods according to an embodimentof the present invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

At first, the structure of a twin-screw extruder serving as a mixingcontainer, which is used in a method of producing meat-like proteinfoods according to this invention, will now be described.

As is shown in FIG. 1, a twin-screw extruder 1 has a housing 2 includingscrews 4 and 6. The housing 2 is formed in a pipe structure and has asupply port 8 for supplying a material and water into the housing 2, anextrusion port 10 for extruding a mixture of the material and water outof the housing 2, and a connection port 12 for connection with a drivingapparatus (not shown) for driving the screws 4 and 6. The screws 4 and 6comprise, respectively, three portions 4a, 4b and 4c and three portions6a, 6b and 6c. The screw portions 4c and 6c are rotatable in the samedirection as or in the opposite direction to the other screws portions4a, 4b, 6a and 6b. Normally the screw portions 4c and 6c rotate in thesame direction as the other screw portions. The extrusion port 10 isprovided with a die 16 for providing fibrous orientation to the mixtureand cooling the mixture.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the die 16 includes a passage 17 for guiding themixture produced in the extruder 1 to the outside. A cooling mechanismfor cooing the mixture passing through the passage 17 is provided aroundthe passage 17. The cooling mechanism includes an inlet 18, throughwhich cooling water is supplied into the die 16, and an exhaust port 19through which the cooling water circulated around the passage 17 isexhausted to the outside. A plate 15 is provided on an extruder-(1)-sideend portion of the passage 17 in a direction substantially perpendicularto the direction of passage of the mixture. The plate 15 is formed in aflat plate having a plurality of holes 15a, as shown in FIG. 3.

A method of producing meat-like protein foods by using the extruder 1having the above structure will now be described.

The driving conditions of the extruder 1 are as follows. The barreltemperature in the extruder 1 is set at, preferably, 120° to 250° C.,and more preferably 140° to 190° C. The barrel pressure within theextruder 1 near the die 16 is set at, preferably, 10 to 100 kg/cm², andmore preferably 15 to 80 kg/cm².

A material supplied from the supply port 8 of the extruder 1 consistsmainly of protein obtained from oil-stuff seeds, grains, etc., inparticular, soybean protein. At least 50 parts by weight of soybeanprotein is included with respect to 100 parts by weight of the material.The material further includes starch, egg white, collagen, mannan, sugarester, etc. By varying the mixing ratio of these components, the tasteof obtained protein foods can be controlled.

Preferably 20 to 60 parts by weight, or more preferably, 25 to 50 partsby weight of water in relation to 100 parts by weight of the material issupplied into the supply port 8 along with the material by a constantfeeder, etc.

The material and water is supplied from the supply port 8 of theextruder 1, and the screws 4 and 6 are rotated. Thus, the material andwater is guided into the extruder 1. The material and water guided intothe extruder 1 is heated by a heating mechanism (not shown) andpressurized by a pressurizing mechanism (not shown). The pressurized andheated mass is passed through the screw portions 4a and 6a, 4b and 6b,and 4c and 6c successively and stirred and mixed. The mixture of thematerial and water guided through the screws 4 and 6 is extruded out ofthe extruder 1 via the die 16 by the extrusion force produced by therotation of the screws 4 and 6.

The mixture guided to the die 16 passes through the holes 15a in theplate 15 and is cooled by the cooling mechanism provided in the die 16.Thus, the mixture is provided with fibrous orientation in the directionextrusion and is taken out of the extruder 1. A textured soybean proteinor a protein material taken out of the extruder 1 has a relatively highwater content (hereinafter this textured soybean protein is referred toas "high water content TSP").

The high water content TSP thus obtained should preferably contain 30 to70 parts by weight of water in relation to 100 parts by weight of thehigh water content TSP, and it is controlled to have a relatively highwater content. The amount of water supplied to the extruder 1 iscontrolled to fall within this range of water content of the high watercontent TSP. If the water content in the high water content TSP takenout from the extruder 1 is less than 30 parts by weight in relation to100 parts by weight of the high water content TSP, the fluidity of thehigh water content TSP at the extrusion port 10 of extruder 1 isdegraded, and the pressure within the extruder 1 rises. In the worstcase, the operation of the extruder 1 is disabled. If the water contentof the high water content TSP exceeds 70 parts by weight in relation to100 parts by weight of the high water content TSP, the orientation offibers of the high water content TSP taken out of the extruder 1deteriorates, and a protein food (described later) obtained from thehigh water content TSP loses appropriate consistency.

The high water content TSP taken out of the extruder 1 is compressed,while being heated, by a pressing machine (FIG. 6), into a so-calledmeat-like protein food having a texture, fibrous orientation and mouthfeeling similar to those of meats.

The shapes of the die 16 and plate 15 are various changed to providedesired fibrous orientation to the high water content TSP, and the highwater content TSP is formed in a sheet-like shape, cylindrical shape orprism shape, thereby controlling the mouth feeling of the protein food.Two or more kinds of high water content TSPs having different fibrousorientations and textures may be mixed or laminated, and then heated andcompressed into a protein food having a complex texture and a mouthfeeling similar to those of meats. Moreover, a plurality of sheets ofhigh water content TSPs may be laminated with their fibrous orientationsmade to coincide, and then heated and compressed by a pressing machineto obtain a protein food having a very strong fibrous orientationsimilar to the fibrous orientation of meats.

Next, a description will be given of a process of producing a proteinfood having a desired texture and mouth feeling, by controlling thewater content or shape of the high water content TSP taken out of theextruder 1 and then heating, compressing and forming the resultant.

At first, when the water content of the high water content TSP taken outof the extruder 1 is controlled, hot water or water is added to the highwater content TSP to swell the same, so that the water content in thehigh water content TSP falls preferably within 35 to 85 parts by weight,and more preferably 40 to 75 parts by weight in relation to 100 parts byweight of the high water content TSP. The resultant is heated,compressed and formed by the pressing machine. At this time, a liquidcontaining a seasoning or a flavor or a liquid containing aquality-improving agent such as a binding agent may be mixed in the hotwater or water, thereby to improve the flavor or taste of the obtainedprotein food. In addition, by controlling the water content prior to thethermal compression molding process in this manner, the texture (inparticular, the feeling in swallowing the chewed food, and the meltingin the mouth) of the protein food can be improved. For example, by usinga liquid containing 5 parts by weight of collagen liquid and 1 part byweight of chicken paste in relation to 100 parts by weight of water, thewater content in the high water content TSP is controlled to 60 parts byweight relative to 100 parts by weight of the high water content TSP.Then, the resultant is heated and compression-molded by the pressingmachine. Thus, a protein food having poultry skin-like texture and mouthfeeling is obtained.

Furthermore, the high water content TSP may cut into, e.g. rods, stripsor cubes by a food cutter or a knife, and then the resultant is heatedand compression-molded by the pressing machine. Thus, the texture andmouth feeling of the protein food can be further improved.

Accordingly, by controlling the water content and shape of the highwater content TSP prior to the thermal compression molding process,protein foods with various textures and mouth feeling can be produced.

Examples of protein foods having complex textures, which are produced bylaminating various high water content TSPs with variously controlledwater contents and shapes, will now be described.

As is shown in FIG. 4, two kinds of sheet materials 22 and 24 withdifferent textures are prepared. The sheet material 22 is formed in thefollowing manner. For example, a decomposed amino acid liquid is addedto a prism-shaped high water content TSP 21 extruded from theextruder 1. Water is added until the water content in the resultantreaches 55 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the highwater content TSP 21. The shape of the TSP 21 is determined by cuttingthe TSP 21 into pieces having a length of about 10 mm by means of acutter. The resultant high water content TSP pieces 21 are arranged inparallel. The other sheet material 24 is produced in the followingmanner. A liquid containing a fat-based meat flavor is added to asheet-like high water content TSP 23 extruded from the extruder 1. Wateris added until the water content in the resultant reaches 60 parts byweight relative to 100 parts by weight of the high water content TSP 23.The resultant is shaped in a rectangular plate of the size, 7 mm(thickness)×40 mm (width)×100 mm (length). The sheet material 24 isinterposed between two sheet materials 22, thereby forming a lamination20.

As is shown in FIG. 5, the lamination 20 is put in a mold 30. The mold30c comprises first and second portions 30a and 30b having rectangularpressing surfaces of substantially the same size as lamination surfacesof the sheet materials 22 (24), and a tube-like third portion 30c havingan inside cross section of substantially the same dimensions as thepressing surfaces. The first and second portions 30a and 30b areinserted into the third portion 30c such that the edge portions of therectangular pressing surfaces of the first and second portions 30a and30b come into contact with the inner walls of the third portion 30c. Thespace defined by the first, second and third portions is sealed so thatvapor may not escape in the heating step.

The mold 30 filled with the lamination 20 is situated in a pressingmachine 40 as shown in FIG. 6. The internal temperature of the pressingmachine 40 is set at preferably 50° to 160° C., and more preferably 80°to 150° C. The internal pressure in the pressing machine 40 is set atpreferably 5 to 80 kg/cm² and more preferably 10 to 60 kg/cm². Theduration of driving (i.e. duration of pressurization) of the pressingmachine 40 is set a time period needed for heat to reach a centralportion of the lamination 20. If the internal temperature is too high,the protein melts and the fibrous property and orientation of the highwater content TSP may deteriorate.

The inside of the pressing machine 40 is sealed so as to preventevaporation of water, thereby keeping the water content of thelamination 20. At the time of pressurization, a seasoning or a flavor iseasily permeated into or adsorbed on the lamination 20.

The pressing machine is actuated in the direction of arrows (FIG. 6) andthe lamination 20 placed therein is compressed in the direction oflamination. As a result, a protein food 25 is produced. The fibrousorientation of the produced protein food 25 does not depend on thedirection of pressing (i.e. direction of lamination), but on the fibrousorientation of the sheet materials 22 and 24 per se.

The texture and mouth feeling of the protein food 25 may be controlledmore widely by mixing in the protein food 25 a material of differentmouth feeling such as a binding agent (e.g. egg white and mannan) or afat substitute.

After the protein food 25 has been manufactured, the temperature andpressure in the pressing machine 40 are gradually lowered while themachine 40 is being sealed. Specifically, the temperature of the proteinfood 25 is lowered to 80° C. or below (preferably room temperature) andthe pressure is to an atmospheric pressure. The protein food 25 is takenout of the pressing machine 40.

If necessary, a seasoning or a flavor is added to the protein food 25and the food 25 is cooked, for example, as a fry, a cutlet, a frywithout coating, etc. Such cooked protein food 25 keeps the fibrousorientation provided at the time of manufacture of the high watercontent TSP and has complex texture and mouth feeling similar to thoseof meats.

Specific examples of cooking of protein foods according to the method ofthe present invention will now be described.

[Cooking Example 1]

Materials (parts by weight): soy protein isolate 8; defatted soybeanmeal 3; wheat gluten 1.5; corn starch 1.5; sugar ester 0.04; porkextract 0.7; amino acid seasoning liquid 0.1; salt 0.07; and edible oil0.5.

These materials were uniformly mixed by a ribbon mixer and supplied intoa twin-screw extruder by a constant feeder at a rate of 10 kg per hour.Water was supplied into the extruder at a rate of 10 l per hour.

The conditions for driving the extruder were set as follows: the barreltemperature near the extrusion port was 170° C., and the barrel pressurenear the extrusion port was 40 kg/cm². The extrusion port of theextruder is provided with a die having a porous plate with 70 holes eachhaving a diameter of 2 mm, as well as a cooling mechanism.

The mixture passing through the die was cooled by the cooling mechanismto about 80° to 90° C. The cooled mixture was passed through the plateand the resultant with fibrous properties and orientation was extrudedfrom the extruder. The extruded high water content TSP was formed in asheet shape of the size, 7 mm (thickness)×50 mm (width)×100 mm (length).This sheet-shaped TSP contained 55 parts by weight of water relative to100 parts by weight of the TSP and possessed strong fibrous properties.

Four sheets of the high water content TSP were hermetically filled inthe mold such that their fibrous directions were made to coincide. Themold was set in the pressing machine and heated and compression-moldedat 120° C. and 25 kg/cm². Thus, a rectangular protein food 20 mm thick,50 mm wide and 100 mm long was obtained.

The protein food was provided with coating and fried for 3 minutes at170° C. into a cutlet-like dish. This cutlet-like dish possessed fibrousorientation, fibrous mouth feeling, meat-like mouth feeling, andappropriate toughness, like a pork cutlet.

[Cooking Example 2]

At first a rectangular piece was obtained.

Materials (parts by weight): soy protein isolate 8; defatted soybeanmeal 2; wheat gluten 1; corn starch 2; powder collagen 1.5; corn grits1; sugar ester 0.04; amino acid seasoning liquid 0.05; edible oil 0.5;sodium glutamate 0.01.

These materials were uniformly mixed by a ribbon mixer and supplied intoa twin-screw extruder by a constant feeder at a rate of 10 kg per hour.Water was supplied into the extruder at a rate of 6.5 l per hour.

The conditions for driving the extruder were set as follows: the barreltemperature near the extrusion port was 170° C., and the barrel pressurenear the extrusion port was 35 kg/cm². The extrusion port of theextruder is provided with a die having a porous plate with 100 holeseach having a diameter of 1 mm, as well as a cooling mechanism.

The mixture passing through the die was cooled by the cooling mechanismto about 80° to 90° C. The cooled mixture was passed through the plateand the resultant with fibrous properties and orientation was extrudedfrom the extruder. The extruded high water content TSP was formed in asheet shape of the size, 5 mm (thickness)×40 mm (width). Thissheet-shaped TSP contained 40 parts by weight of water relative to 100parts by weight of the TSP and possessed strong fibrous properties.

A liquid containing 10 parts by weight of chicken powder solutionrelative to 100 parts by weight of water was added to the obtained highwater content TSP, so that the TSP contained 65 parts by weight of waterrelative to 100 parts by weight of the TSP. Then, the shape of the TSPwas controlled and a rectangular piece of the size, 10 mm×10 mm×5 mm,was obtained.

In addition, a rod-like piece was obtained.

Materials (parts by weight): soy protein concentrate 8; soy proteinisolate 3; defatted soybean meal 2; wheat gluten 1.5; corn starch 1.5;and freeze-dried yam flour 0.65.

These materials were uniformly mixed by a ribbon mixer and supplied intoa twin-screw extruder by a constant feeder at a rate of 10 kg per hour.Water was supplied into the extruder at a rate of 4.5 l per hour.

The conditions for driving the extruder were set as follows: the barreltemperature near the extrusion port was 180° C., and the barrel pressurenear the extrusion port was 45 kg/cm². The extrusion port of theextruder is provided with a die having a porous plate with 70 holes eachhaving a diameter of 2 mm, as well as a cooling mechanism.

The mixture passing through the die was cooled by the cooling mechanismto about 80° to 90° C. The cooled mixture was passed through the plateand the resultant with fibrous properties and orientation was extrudedfrom the extruder. The extruded high water content TSP contained 50parts by weight of water relative to 100 parts by weight of the TSP andpossessed strong fibrous properties. This TSP was formed in a rod shapeof 5 mm (thickness)×5 mm (width).

Then, a binding agent was obtained by stirring and mixing the followingmaterials: 2.5 parts by weight of dried egg white; 2.5 parts by weightof starch; 6.3 parts by weight of vegetable oil; 2.5 parts by weight ofchicken extract; 0.3 part by weight of chicken flavor; and 9.8 parts byweight of water.

At first 25 parts by weight of the rod-like pieces was placed on thebottom of the mold. A mixture of 50 parts by weight of the rectangularpieces and 25 parts by weight of binding agent, which was obtained bythe ribbon mixer, was placed on the rod-like pieces. Furthermore, 25parts by weight of the rod-like pieces was placed on the mixture. Theresultant lamination was heated and compression-molded by the pressingmachine for 20 minutes at 110° C. and 10 kg/cm². The compression-moldedlamination was cooled while being pressurized. After the temperature ofthe lamination was lowered to room temperature, the lamination was takenout of the pressing machine. Thus, a cylindrical protein food having adiameter of 40 mm and a thickness of 30 mm was obtained.

This protein food was covered with "karaage" flour (i.e. flour forfrying without coating) and fried for two minutes at 170° C. Theobtained dish was eaten and it was found that the dish possessed fibrousorientation, fibrous mouth feeling, meat-like mouth feeling, appropriatetoughness, good melting in the mouth, and good feeling in swallowing,like flavorous chicken.

[Comparative Example]

A commercially available low water content fiber-textured soybeanprotein (hereinafter referred to as "low water content TSP"), which isshaped in a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a length of 20 mm andcontains 7 wt %, was put in a stirrer having stirring blades. The lowwater content TSP was stirred minutes 30 minutes along with hot waterhaving a temperature of 80° C. and swollen. The swollen low watercontent TSP was further stirred and loosen to a size of about 20 mm. Thecracked low water content TSP was put in a nylon mesh bag and lightlydehydrated. Then, again the resultant was put in the stirrer and washedwith water twice. The washed low water content TSP was put in a mold anddehydrated under pressure of 15 kg/cm². The dehydrated low water contentTSP was taken out of the mold and vacuum-packed in a casing ofvinylidene chloride. The vacuum-packed TSP was put in a stainless-steelretainer and heated for 40 minutes at 120° C. and fixed. The fixed lowwater content TSP was cooled to room temperature and taken out of theretainer.

The thus obtained protein food was boiled well in a liquid containingchicken extract. Then, the protein food was covered with "karaage" flourand fried for two minutes at 170° C. The resultant dish was eaten, butit was found that this dish was inferior to the foods of CookingExamples 1 and 2 in all respects, i.e. fibrous orientation, fibrousmouth feeling, appropriate toughness, etc.

According to the method of producing meat-like protein foods of thepresent invention, wherein the extruded high water content TSP is heatedand compression-molded with or without control of water content andshape, protein foods having fibrous orientation, texture and mouthfeeling similar to those of meats can be produced. The present inventionis not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications canbe made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example,protein foods having various mouth feeling similar to those of meats canbe produced by varying the mixing ratio of materials, water content,temperature, pressure, shape, etc.

What is claimed is:
 1. A food produced by a method of producing ameat-like protein food, the method comprising the steps of:mixing waterand a material containing soy protein isolate, defatted soybean meal,wheat gluten, corn starch, sugar ester, pork extract, amino acidseasoning liquid, salt, and edible oil, in an extruder having a dieprovided at an extrusion port thereof while heating and pressurizing thewater and the material, thus obtaining a mixture, said die including aporous plate for providing an orientation to the mixture obtained in themixing step, and a cooling mechanism for cooling the mixture providedwith the orientation after passing the porous plate when the mixture isextruded from said extruder; extruding said mixture obtained in themixing step from said extruder via said die, providing an orientation tothe mixture, and cooling the mixture, thus obtaining a sheet-likeprotein material; preparing a plurality of said sheet-like proteinmaterials and laminating the sheet-like protein materials with theirdirections of orientation made to coincide with each other;compressing-molding the laminated protein materials obtained in saidlaminating step while heating the same, thus obtaining a protein food;and cooking the protein food; whereby said food comprises protein fibershaving an orientation in the direction of extrusion.
 2. A food producedby a method of producing a meat-like protein food, the methodcomprising:a first mixing step of mixing water and a first materialcontaining soy protein isolate, defatted soybean meal, wheat gluten,corn starch, powder collagen, corn grits, sugar ester, amino acidseasoning liquid; edible oil, and sodium glutamate in an extruder havinga die provided at an extrusion port thereof while heating andpressurizing the water and the first material, thus obtaining a firstmixture, said die including a porous plate for providing an orientationto the first mixture obtained in the first mixing step, and a coolingmechanism for cooling the first mixture provided with the orientationafter being passed through the porous plate, when the first mixture isextruded from said extruder; extruding said first mixture obtained inthe first mixing step from said extruder via said die, providing anorientation to the mixture, and cooling the first mixture, thusobtaining a sheet-like protein material; a step of adding a liquidcontaining a chicken powder solution to said sheet-like protein materialthereby controlling the water content of the sheet-like proteinmaterial; a step of cutting the sheet-like protein material with thecontrolled water content into a plurality of rectangular pieces; asecond mixing step of mixing water and a second material containing soyprotein concentrate, soy protein isolate, defatted soybean meal,wheat-gluten, corn starch, and freeze-dried yam flour, in said extruderhaving a die provided at an extrusion port thereof while heating andpressurizing the water and the second material, thus obtaining a secondmixture; a step of extruding said second mixture obtained in said secondmixing step from said extruder via said die, providing an orientation tothe second mixture, cooling the second mixture, thus obtaining arod-like protein material; a step of cutting said rod-like proteinmaterial at a predetermined length, thus obtaining rod-like pieces; astep of obtaining a binding agent by stirring and mixing dried eggwhite, starch, vegetable oil, chicken extract, chicken flavor, andwater; arranging a first group of said rod-like pieces, placing amixture of said rectangular pieces and said binding agent on saidrod-like pieces, and arranging a second group of said rod-like pieces,thus laminating the protein materials; compression-molding saidlaminated protein material while heating the same, thus obtaining aprotein food; and cooking said protein food whereby said food comprisesprotein fibers having an orientation in the direction of extrusion.
 3. Afood produced by a method of producing a meat-like protein food,comprising the steps of:mixing water and a material containing at leastprotein in an extruder having a die provided at an extrusion portthereof while heating and pressurizing the water and the material, thusobtaining a mixture, said die including a porous plate for providing anorientation to the mixture obtained in the mixing step, and a coolingmechanism for cooling the mixture provided with the orientation afterbeing passed through the porous plate, when the mixture is extruded fromsaid extruder; extruding said mixture obtained in the mixing step fromsaid extruder via said die, providing an orientation to the mixture, andcooling the mixture, thus obtaining a protein material, an amount ofsaid water being controlled such that a water content in the proteinmaterial is set at 30 to 70 parts by weight in relation to 100 parts byweight of the protein material; and compression-molding the proteinmaterial while heating the same whereby said food comprises proteinfiber having an orientation in the direction of extrusion.
 4. A foodproduced by a method of producing a meat-like protein food comprisingthe steps of:mixing water and a material containing at least protein inan extruder having a die provided at an extrusion port thereof whileheating and pressurizing the water and the material, thus obtaining amixture, said die including a porous plate for providing an orientationto the mixture obtained in the mixing step, and a cooling mechanism forcooling the mixture provided with the orientation after being passedthrough the porous plate, when the mixture is extruded from saidextruder; extruding said mixture obtained in the mixing step from saidextruder via said die, providing an orientation to the mixture, andcooling the mixture, thus obtaining protein material, an amount of saidwater being controlled such that a water content in the protein materialis set at 30 to 70 parts by weight in relation to 100 parts by weight ofthe protein material; controlling the water content and shape of saidprotein material; and compression-molding the protein material obtainedin the controlling step while heating the same whereby said foodcomprises protein fibers having an orientation in the direction ofextrusion.